Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem#Programs

{{other uses of|Ohr Somayach}}{{Infobox yeshiva

| logo = Ohr Somayach logo.png

| image = Ohr Somayach.JPG

| caption = Ohr Somayach entrance sign

| city = Jerusalem

| established = {{start date and age|1972}}

| enrollment = 400

| free_1 = Rav Shlomo Wiener

| free_label1 = Rosh Yeshiva

| website = {{URL|ohr.edu}}

}}

Ohr Somayach (also Or Samayach or Ohr Somayach International) is a yeshiva based in Jerusalem founded in 1970 catering mostly to young Jewish men, usually of college age, who are already interested in learning about Judaism. It is known as a "baal teshuva" yeshiva since it caters to Jews with little or no background in Judaism, but with an interest in studying the classic texts such as the Talmud and responsa. Students are recruited either locally or from other countries where the yeshiva has established branches, such as in the United States, Canada, South Africa, United Kingdom, Australia, Ukraine and Russia.

History

In 1970, Rabbis Noah Weinberg, Mendel Weinbach, Nota Schiller, and Yaakov Rosenberg, founded Shema Yisrael Yeshiva to attract young Jewish men with little or no background in Jewish studies.{{cite web |url=http://www.hamodia.com/inthepaper.cfm?ArticleID=142 |title=Conscience of the Lost Jews: Harav Yisroel Noah Weinberg, zt"l |last=Donn |first=Rabbi Yochanan |publisher=Hamodia |access-date=13 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721144340/http://www.hamodia.com/inthepaper.cfm?ArticleID=142 |archive-date=21 July 2011 }}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QSOG9e1QqzsC&q=ohr+somayach&pg=294|title=Contemporary American Judaism: Transformation and Renewal|first=Dana Evan|last=Kaplan|year=2011|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0231137294|pages=294–295}} The founders of the Yeshiva eventually parted ways due to differences in philosophy of teaching with Rabbi Weinberg founding Aish HaTorah in 1974 and Rabbi Rosenberg founding Machon Shlomo in 1982.

In 1973, Shema Yisrael changed its name to Ohr Somayach, the title of a commentary on the Mishneh Torah written by Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk.{{cite web |url=http://ohr.edu/ohr_somayach/did_you_know_that/713 |title=Did You Know That #16 |date=1 March 2003 |access-date=13 January 2011 |publisher=Ohr Somayach International}}

Notable faculty

Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz, rav of the kehila
Rabbi Shlomo Wiener, rosh yeshiva
Rabbi Nota Schiller, former rosh yeshiva (deceased)
Rabbi Mendel Weinbach, former rosh yeshiva (deceased)
Rabbi Aharon Feldman, rosh yeshiva of Ner Yisrael
Rabbi Nachman Bulman, mashgiach ruchani
Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb, a former professor of analytical philosophy at Johns Hopkins University
Rabbi Dovid Kaplan, author of The Kiruv Files and the Impact! series

Notable alumni

Moses Michael Levi Barrow (born Jamal Michael Barrow; 1978), better known by his stage name Shyne, Belizean rapper and politician
Rabbi Natan GamedzeKotkes, Leah. "A Fairy Tale Prince and Princess". Binah, 1 April 2007, pp. 16–23.
Rabbi Issamar Ginzberg, Graduate of Ohr LaGola: Smicha program{{cite news|last=Herzig|first=Gur Aryeh|title=Rabbi Issamar Ginzberg Galvanizes Global Audiences|url=http://www.issamar.com/wp-content/uploads/Rabbi-Issamar-Ginzberg.pdf|access-date=20 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203213529/https://www.issamar.com/wp-content/uploads/Rabbi-Issamar-Ginzberg.pdf |archive-date=3 February 2015|newspaper=Hamodia|date=April 10, 2013|quote=Rabbi Issamar Ginzberg grew up in Brooklyn. His education began in the Bobover Yeshivah and continued in the Chuster Rebbe’s yeshivah, Toras Chessed. Later he traveled to Eretz Yisrael and learned in the yeshivah of his cousin, the Pittsburgher Rebbe of Ashdod. From there he went on to the Mirrer Yeshivah in Yerushalayim. He also completed a two-year program in rabbinical outreach at Yeshivas Ohr Somayach.}}
Jonathan Rosenblum, Haredi author and spokesperson
Rabbi Natan Slifkin
Amar'e Stoudemire, basketball player/coach{{Cite web|url=https://ohr.edu/articles/amare.html|title = Ohr Somayach - Amar'e d'Asrah – Amar'e Stoudemire}}
Rabbi Asher Wade
Dr. Henry Abramson, historian
Joseph J. Sherman, marketing strategist and artist{{Cite web|url=https://ohr.edu/6276 |title=Yosef Yehuda Sherman |website=ohr.edu |access-date=2023-09-14}}

Programs

J.L.E. - Jewish Learning Exchange - Summer program includes tours of Israel and lectures
The Shoresh Program: Introduction to Talmud and Jewish thought
Renewal Program: Religious Students Ages 20-30 who need more inspiration.{{Cite web |title=Renewal Program |url=https://ohr.edu/renewalprogram/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=Ohr Somayach}}
The Intermediate and Mechina Program: Beginner to Intermediate Talmud learning
The Beis Midrash Program: Advanced learning
Derech: One- or two-year post-high-school program
The Center Program: Intensive learning for college graduates (one- or two-year program)
Ohr LaGolah: Semikhah (ordination) program{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel/advanced/ohr_lagolah/4311 |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=Ohr Somayach}}
Chai Israel: A gap year program consisting of classes, internships, trips, volunteer work and experiences designed to emphasize Israeli culture. Rabbi Dani Zwick is the current program director.
Pisga:One- or two-year post-high-school program for South Africans and Australians.

References

External links

[http://www.ohr.edu/ Ohr Somayach home page]
[http://torahdownloads.com/s-8-rabbi-yitzchak-breitowitz.html Click here to download some MP3 lectures by Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz]

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Category:Ohr Somayach

Category:Orthodox yeshivas in Jerusalem

Category:Baalei teshuva institutions